People & Culture Business Partner

Mercy Ships is an international charity that brings hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor through state-of-the-art hospital ships. Since 1978, our volunteer crew—made up of medical professionals and skilled workers from over 60 nations—has delivered free surgeries and medical care to over 2.8 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, transforming lives one patient and one port at a time. Join our global team of over 3,000 volunteers and help us change lives daily.

About this role

The People & Culture Business Partner (PCBP) is responsible for managing the day-to-day People & Culture (P&C) needs for their assigned function(s). Provides guidance and partnership in the areas of crew relations, transitions, staffing, orientation, policy management, engagement, and performance management. Serves as a backup for the Ship People & Culture Director.

What you will contribute

• Builds, develops, and maintains strong collaborative, consultative working relationships across the Business Partner’s designated functional area(s).
• Serves as a liaison between crew and management to answer questions or concerns regarding company policies, practices, systems, and regulations.
• Provides day-to-day performance management guidance to leaders (e.g., coaching, counseling, career development, disciplinary actions).
• Works closely with leaders and crew to improve work relationships, community relationships, morale, retention, productivity, and spiritual growth.
• Manages employee relations issues by providing counsel and guidance to managers on grievance, disciplinary, and performance issues; leads investigations when necessary.
• Conducts proactive check-in meetings with crew including new hire meetings and exit interviews.
• Supports the Staff Development team with the development and execution of training related to P&C practices.
• Identifies and shepherds crew through the job opening process and career development opportunities.
• Monitors staffing levels and allocation of positions on board; facilitates and advises on adjustments as needed.
• Communicates Ship P&C priorities, updates, and activities.
• Builds relationships with P&C stakeholders at other locations to ensure alignment of best practices.
• Ensures daily P&C operations are aligned with the organization’s core values, mission, and vision.

For This Role, You Will Need

• Successful completion of Mercy Ships On Boarding program
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in Human Resources management with combined experience in employee relations, business partnership, policy management, employee management, and/or performance management functions.
• Mercy Ships experience is preferred, but not required.
• Leadership experience is preferred.
• Supportive of Mercy Ships mission and vision and committed to its core values.
• Understand and apply servant leadership, work collaboratively with integrity, and demonstrate accountability.
• Able to live in and contribute to community life, requiring stable and healthy interpersonal skills.
• Must enjoy working with people. Strong interpersonal skills required: must be eager to welcome, serve, support, and encourage people.
• Must possess strong problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.
• Strong computer skills are required.
• Ability to learn and work within custom systems and applications.
• Must be self-motivated, detailed, and thorough in their work.
• Ability to think ahead, plan ahead, forecast changes, needs, problems, etc.
• Must have a team player, collaborator, upbeat, helpful, and can-do personality.
• Excellent communication skills are required – both written and verbal.
• French language fluency is desirable.
• Ability to change and grow as systems are implemented to support the infrastructure of P&C processes.
• Must possess capacity-building and training skills.

The experience of a lifetime is calling.

More than 1,200 volunteers from over 60 nations serve with Mercy Ships each year.

At Mercy Ships, we are proud to be recognized around the world for the life-changing surgeries and training we deliver. We could not achieve this without our dedicated community of talented volunteers.

Imagine finishing your shift and stepping onto deck as the sun sets—knowing that today you’ve helped transform the lives of those who need it most. Apply now to start a journey that will reshape the lives of those you serve — and your own.